The Rose Mary Crawshay Prize recognises leading historical or critical work written by a woman
The Rising Down: Lives in a Landscape by Alexandra Harris, Professor of English Literature, has recently been awarded the Rose Mary Crawshay Prize by the British Academy. Named for the eponymous British philanthropist, the prize is awarded annually to exemplary historical or critical works of non-fiction written by women.
Reacting to the award, Professor Harris said: “I’ve always thought of the Rose Mary Crawshay Prize as a particularly meaningful recognition of literary scholarship; many past winners – and their books – have been beacons in my reading life.
“I am thrilled and honoured to join an extraordinary roster of writers in receiving this award, and I want to thank the many colleagues, librarians, subject specialists, and spirited readers who made my book possible.”
In The Rising Down: Lives in a Landscape, Professor Harris uses archival records and everyday objects to explore the lives of the people of West Sussex. Speaking on her book, Professor Harris commented: “The Rising Down tells stories of work, art, landscape and imagination in one small area over four centuries. I wanted to think about unsung readers and writers, as well as those whose thinking crossed the world and changed the way we value our surroundings – wherever we are.
“Focusing in became a way of opening out – to different voices and ways of knowing. Who was here? What mattered to them? What will they show us? I benefitted from the expertise of local archivists, and those with practical knowledge of buildings, rivers, geology, farming, alongside a great wealth of humanities scholarship. It all kept me searching for a form in which literary and local histories might live together.”
For Professor Harris, who was born in Chichester, it was important that her historical writing related back to her own origins. She commented: “I wanted to learn from, think with, and to write for, people of many kinds who shared those places across West Sussex.” She continues to engage with community groups, reading groups, and special interest groups throughout the region to uncover deep local knowledge, and lead novel approaches to exploring local history.
In recognition of the contributions Professor Harris has made to enliven Sussex’s history, the University of Chichester recently awarded her an honorary doctorate. She reacted to the award saying: “This endorsement from the University at the heart of West Sussex makes me so glad to have pursued this form of writing. There’s so much rich potential for thinking about art and literature in relation to local histories and voices.”
Birmingham Professorial Fellow
Biographical and contact information for Professor Alexandra Harris, Birmingham Professorial Fellow in the Department of English Literature at the University of Birmingham.
